IS claims deadly attack in north against US-backed force

BEIRUT – A Syrian opposition monitor and a news agency linked to the Islamic State group say the extremists have carried out a deadly attack against U.S.-backed forces near the northern city of Raqqa.

The Aamaq news agency said Friday that the attack a day earlier killed 53 members of the Syrian Democratic Forces in the village of Karama.

Nisreen Abdullah, a spokeswoman with the U.S.-backed SDF, said IS is carrying out attacks against the SDF but strongly denied the high number of casualties given by Aamaq.

Rami Abdurrahman, who heads Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said IS fighters used motorcycles in their attack. He says they were able to kill and kidnap dozens of SDF fighters and civilians.